Cross-country skiing is one of the most physically demanding sports, however also a seasonal sport depending on snowy roads. Alternative training methods for improving the participant's physical condition are therefore necessary. The most common alternative training methods are performed outdoors but they are generally difficult to measure in terms of performance and due to e.g. weather conditions there are periods in the year when it is difficult to train outdoor. Commercially available and efficient indoor cross-country ski training machines and methods do not exist.
In the population in general there is a tendency towards increased obesity and inactivity. For many obesity develops in the upper body and the most common forms of exercise to get rid of the excess fat are running and fitness machines such as step machines, cross/ellipse trainers and rowing machines. However the range of exercise machines in fitness centres offers no possibility of effectively generating high energy consumption, increasing strength of and specifically improving the physical condition of the upper body.